Race Report: The New Wave is Here - 2021 Tweed Valley Enduro
Photography FINLAY ANDERSON
A whopping 21 months after TweedLove’s last enduro, the Tweed Valley made a triumphant return to racing last weekend at the TweedLove Local, a race originally planned for 2020 as a locals-only answer to racing in the pandemic. It finally got the green light a couple of months ago, and in a day that felt like a massive release for so many of us an unexpected story emerged.
The world has certainly changed over the last year or so, and there’s a clear indication that a lot (and we mean A LOT) of talented local riders have been waiting patiently to show what they can do. On Saturday they finally had the opportunity, and they took it in style. The new wave of Tweed Valley enduro talent has arrived and isn't shy to make itself heard.
Buzzin'. All over your back tyre.
New times call for new ways of working. TweedLove's in-car race sign-on worked well
Lewis Buchanan in the socially distanced start line area
Stage 2 was B Side, a Glentress favourite built for TweedLove's 2015 edition of the EWS. Thanks to some TLC it runs sweeter now than it did back then. And perfect for Buchanan to test his new Norco's settings.
New bike for Katy Winton on Day One for her new race set-up
With Mark Scott (Santa Cruz X SRAM) and Bex Baraona (Ibis) absent on team duties, there were still some locally based heavy hitters on the start list with few betting against Katy Winton (Moxie XI/SRAM/Nukeproof) and Lewis Buchanan (Norco) topping the leader boards. Both were on new bikes and may have had an eye on the season ahead, but that doesn’t take away from the achievements of the new crew.
Stage One kicked things off fast and open to get the stoke and adrenalin up. Thomas Mitchell was happy to be back at the races. We all were.
Edging ahead of Katy, the fastest female on the day was still-at-school 16-year-old Emily Carrick Anderson (T-Mo Racing). Lewis finished fourth fastest, behind overall winner Corey Watson, with Jake Ebdon second and Jayden Randall (T-Mo Racing) third. Though the top three males were all in the 18-23 age category, there was a host of other young riders aged 16 onwards snapping at their rear mechs, posting ridiculously fast times and pushing a list of well-respected names back down the overall results. In the 16-17 group, David Cathcart (TweedLove Collective) took the win ahead of Angus Carlyle and Ruaridh Johnson.
Polly Henderson continues her ascent - second on the day.
Also well worth noting was the fierce competition in the under 16 category, who raced four of the five stages completed by the older riders. Ben Allan (TweedLove Collective) took the win with consistently impressive results which would have placed him in the top 10 overall — awesome riding, he’s one to watch for sure. TweedLove Collective rider Danny Lancaster came in second with Thomas Hilton third in U16 males.
Miss Winton: determined as ever it's now full focus on the next one
The whole day felt like therapy and a bit of release from the dark
For the females, Phoebe Gale took second behind Emily in U18 females, with Chloe Taylor winning the 18-23 group ahead of Polly Henderson and Ellen Flewitt.
For the men, Lewis Buchanan won the 24-34 group ahead of the always-rapid Sam Flockhart and Thomas Mitchell.
The stories of the day are that racing is back, and it rocks, and that this one undoubtedly belonged to the hard-charging young riders. The new wave is here, and the future looks blindingly bright for the Tweed Valley MTB community.
Corey Watson had a standout ride and was convincingly the fastest gun on the hill. If he can do this consistently he's got a big future ahead
XC rider? Hmmm. Emily Carrick Anderson beasted this course, beat ALL the other women and girls, and showed why T-Mo is backing her. And she's only just turned 16.
Ben Allan put down top 10 overall times everywhere. Only 14, he's got raw talent by the bucket load.
Full results are here
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But the 18-23 category
Cory Watson won with a 10:12
Jake Ebdon was 2nd with a 10:20
Jayden Randell got a 10:30.62
So Lewis was 4th.
In other news, the hard tail winner was faster than the e-bike winner.
Other Sports are seeing younger riders doing amazing, as you get older you have more experience... This is both positive and negative. When younger you recover quicker and come from a place where you walk more, ride more and drive less, eat less bad food, you dwell on things less and so many youngsters have a get it done or I am having you attitude. I imagine Lewis has a big target on his back down there for the youngsters and they are delighted to get one over on Lewis, but will realise he was on a new bike, out of the box and he did say the rear was under sprung for the race.
But it was a race and the only thing that counts is the result. (I have a book of excuses for racing haha).